It’s hard to believe we are already staring down the barrel of 2026. Looking back, 2025 wasn’t just another year of iterative product releases; it was a year where the “pipes” and “platforms” of our digital lives underwent a fundamental structural transformation.
From the retirement of the world’s most popular operating system to a legislative victory for our local farmers, here are the top 10 tech moments of 2025 that impacted us here on the Eyre Peninsula.
1. The End of an Era: Windows 10 “End of Life”
It finally happened. On October 14, 2025, Microsoft officially ended mainstream support for Windows 10. This has created a “hardware cliff” for many locals. Unlike previous updates, Windows 11 requires a specific security chip (TPM 2.0) that many computers older than 2018 simply don’t have.
- The WizzIT Take: If you are still on Windows 10, your computer is now vulnerable to unpatched security threats. You have two choices: replace the machine (recommended) or pay for the new consumer “Extended Security Updates” (ESU) subscription, though this is really just a temporary bridge, not a permanent fix.
2. NBN’s “Free” Speed Boost (The Port Lincoln Reality)
In September, NBN Co launched “Accelerate Great,” boosting 100Mbps plans to 500Mbps for eligible connections. However, for Port Lincoln residents on Fibre to the Node (FTTN), there is a catch: the copper wires in your street can’t physically handle these speeds.
- The Update for Locals: To get the boost, you must upgrade to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). The good news? NBN data indicates that eligibility for many Port Lincoln FTTN users to get this free fibre installation finally opens up between October and December 2025. If you want the speed, you need to apply for the upgrade now.
3. Right to Repair: A Win for Farmers
In a massive late-year victory, the Federal Government officially extended Right to Repair laws to agricultural machinery in December. For the Eyre Peninsula, this is an economic game-changer. It means farmers finally have the legal right to access the proprietary diagnostic tools and software needed to clear error codes on tractors and harvesters, rather than waiting days for a dealer technician.
4. Starlink Gen 3 Becomes the “Bush Standard”
The new Starlink Gen 3 hardware became the default for residential users this year.
- What changed? The dish no longer has motors; it uses a fixed kickstand. This removal of moving parts, combined with a higher IP67 weather resistance rating, makes it much more reliable in our dusty, coastal conditions.
- Better Wi-Fi: The kit now includes a Wi-Fi 6 router, which offers significantly better performance through thick stone farmhouse walls compared to the old Gen 2 router.
5. The “Passwordless” Revolution Took Off
2025 was the year Passkeys went mainstream, with major banks (like NAB and Ubank) and myGov adopting the standard. Passkeys replace typed passwords with a cryptographic key stored on your phone, unlocked by your face or fingerprint. Because the key never leaves your device, it effectively neutralizes remote phishing attacks—even if you click a fake link, you can’t “give away” your password.
6. Scams Found a Voice
The dark side of 2025 was the weaponization of AI for fraud. We saw a sharp rise in AI Voice Cloning, where scammers use short audio clips from social media to impersonate loved ones in distress calls.
- The Fix: We strongly advise all local families to agree on a “safe word” offline to verify any urgent calls requesting money.
7. The “AI PC” is Here
You can’t buy a new computer now without seeing the dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard. This is the first major change to the PC keyboard in 30 years. It signals the arrival of the “AI PC,” where computers have specialized chips (NPUs) to handle AI tasks like real-time translation and searching your history without sending data to the cloud.
8. Wi-Fi 7 Started Showing Up
To match the new multi-gigabit NBN speeds, Wi-Fi 7 routers hit the shelves in force. These routers utilize “Multi-Link Operation,” allowing devices to connect across multiple bands simultaneously to reduce latency—essential for handling the load of a modern smart home.
9. Smart Homes Finally “Mattered”
The Matter smart home standard matured significantly in 2025, particularly for energy management devices like solar inverters and heat pumps. While it has made connecting basic devices like lights easier across Apple and Google systems, complex setups can still be tricky.
10. 3D Printing Became an “Appliance”
Once a hobby for tinkerers, 2025 saw 3D printing become “appliance-like,” dominated by brands like Bambu Lab. With automated calibration and multi-colour printing now standard, more locals are using these machines for practical prototyping and repairs rather than just tinkering.
What’s coming in 2026? If 2025 was about infrastructure—getting the fibre in the ground and the satellites in the sky—2026 will be about utilizing those speeds.
Need help navigating these changes? Whether you need to replace a Windows 10 machine, apply for your NBN fibre upgrade, or secure your accounts with Passkeys, WizzIT is here to help.
Call us today or visit wizzit.au
Want to dive deeper into the details? Here are the official sources and guides for each of the topics covered above:
- Windows 10 End of Life: Microsoft Official Statement: Windows 10 support has ended
- NBN Upgrades: WhistleOut Guide: How to upgrade your NBN connection to FTTP
- Right to Repair: Australian Government Media Release: Farmers back historic right to repair reform
- Starlink Gen 3: Official Starlink Specifications
- Passkeys: Ubank News: Expanding Passkeys to online banking (Australian First)
- AI Scams: CHOICE Article: AI voice scams and what you need to know
- The AI PC: Windows Blog: Introducing the Copilot key
- Wi-Fi 7: Opensignal: Wi-Fi 7 vs. previous generations performance impact
- Smart Home (Matter): CSA-IoT News: Matter 1.4 Enables More Capable Smart Homes
- 3D Printing: All3DP: Best 3D Printers 2025 (Top Picks)